Nashville Predators » Los Angeles Kingshttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators
The TennesseanSun, 16 Mar 2014 15:30:03 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6Preds muscle up for the Kingshttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/10/17/preds-muscle-up-for-the-kings/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/10/17/preds-muscle-up-for-the-kings/#commentsThu, 17 Oct 2013 18:12:18 +0000JOSH COOPER, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/?p=11297When the Predators made their forward additions in the offseason, they had the Los Angeles Kings in mind. With their Stanley Cup win in 2012, the Kings became a new template int he NHL.

That team was big, strong and fast up front — and only lost four games in the playoffs before winning the Cup.

“I think we needed to have that ability to play against teams like St. Louis and the Kings … Anaheim, San Jose, who have big bodies,” coach Barry Trotz said. “We felt we needed to get more that way.”

According to tonight’s game notes, the Kings average height is 6-foot-1 and average weight is 209 pounds. The Predators are at 6-1 and 203. The additions of Eric Nystrom, Matt Cullen, Matt Hendricks and Viktor Stalberg all brought extra size, and ability, to play a bigger game.

“I think it happens that way in sports with team success. You want to emulate that success,” Predators forward Paul Gaustad said. “We’re a strong team, and it’s going to be a fun game. We’re built to play these guys, and it’s going to be playoff hockey every time we play them.”

Over the last three seasons, the Predators are 4-7-0 against the Kings. The key for Thursday will be to try to get to the middle of the ice and get to the Los Angeles net.

“They did a good job in the past of boxing us out and away from the goal-scoring areas,” defenseman Kevin Klein said. “If we can do that tonight, we will be more successful.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/10/17/preds-muscle-up-for-the-kings/feed/0Preds will be tested in draws Thursdayhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/10/16/preds-will-be-tested-in-draws-thursday/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/10/16/preds-will-be-tested-in-draws-thursday/#commentsWed, 16 Oct 2013 21:03:40 +0000JOSH COOPER, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/?p=11286When watching Thursday’s match up between the Predators and Los Angeles Kings, look at the circle — the face off circle that is.

The Predators rank third in the NHL at 56.2 percent on face offs. The Kings are fourth at 55.8 percent. This could be where the game could be won or lost for the Predators. Nashville has done a good job of keeping its puck possession numbers up through the face off this year.

“It’s going to be a challenge, I know that. I’m just going to approach it like every other game,” Predators center Paul Gaustad said. “That’s how you have to approach it. I don’t take a night off.”

Winning draws has enabled the Predators to start with the puck and dictate the pace of play.

Said Kings center Anze Kopitar, “You don’t have to chase (the puck) down if you win the face off. It’s becoming a bigger and bigger role in the game. You want to be good on face offs and start off the play with the puck.”

Below are each team’s top three face off men per NHL.com:

Nashville

1. Paul Gaustad, 66.9 percent.

2. David Legwand, 59.0 percent

3. Mike Fisher, 50.7 percent

Los Angeles

1. Mike Richards, 53.5 percent

2. Anze Kopitar, 52.3 percent

3. Jarret Stoll, 50.0 percent

*Jeff Carter is at 70.4 percent but has taken fewer draws than Richards, Kopitar and Stoll.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/10/16/preds-will-be-tested-in-draws-thursday/feed/0Clune to face old teamhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/01/31/clune-returns-to-los-angeles-to-face-old-team/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2013/01/31/clune-returns-to-los-angeles-to-face-old-team/#commentsThu, 31 Jan 2013 22:23:29 +0000JOSH COOPER, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/?p=9826LOS ANGELES When the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup last summer, Rich Clune was conflicted. On the one hand, the Manchester Monarchs forward was happy for players he knew on the Kings. They included former Monarchs Dwight King and Jordan Nolan.

On the other, Clune wished he was on the ice hoisting the Stanley Cup at Staples Center. Clune spent parts of four years with the Kings organization. (The Monarchs are the Kings’ affiliate in the American Hockey League.) The Predators claimed him Clune waivers before the season.

“It was kind of torturous,” he said. “Obviously every player wants to win the Cup, but it was a good experience watching it, and I’m really happy for them.”

Tonight, Clune will go against his former team as a member of the Predators. The last two days in Los Angeles have been good for him. He went to a Thai restaurant in Beverly Hills that he used to frequent when he lived here and has seen some friends.

“When I was here I definitely made friends in the community,” Clune said. “It’s always nice to come back to a place you’ve lived in the past and reconnect with people.”

So far, Clune has found a role as sort of an energy-type, physical player for the Predators. He has fit in well in the Nashville locker room, and has won the respect of his teammates and the coaching staff with three fights over his first five games.

“He’s one of the few guys who gets in on the forecheck and makes people pay a price to move the puck,” coach Barry Trotz said. “He’s exactly as advertised. He’s a real good guy off the ice, he has given us lots of bump and some pizzazz on that fourth line.”

When it comes to tonight, no matter all the good feelings Clune has towards his former teammates on the Kings, that will clearly be put aside. He will try to be at his agitating best for his new team.

“I like to run my mouth with the other team, but I don’t get too personal as far as something that I wouldn’t be proud of,” Clune said with a toothless smile. “It will be standard trash talk, nothing personal.”